Council waives area activity center fees

Published 3:06 pm, Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Bulverde City Council at its Tuesday evening meeting chose to waive the costs of planning and construction inspection for the Bulverde Spring Branch Activity Center expansion.

The center, which mostly serves the senior citizens of Bulverde, Bulverde's extra-territorial jurisdiction and Spring Branch, is a non-profit organization that sits adjacent to Bulverde City Hall on Cougar Bend road.

The organization has for some years had membership that far exceeds the capacity of its current building. Center leaders began a capital campaign last year to add to the building and outdoors area, as well as to expand the parking lot for greater access.

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The initial purpose of the council vote was to waive a $2,518.80 fee from Veritas, a construction inspection agency, but soon discussion led to forgiving all pending fees — a total of around $4,000 — to alleviate some of the organization's costs.

Councilman Kirk Harrison expressed concern over the action. “It always worries me when we take people's money and use it for specific groups,” he said.

Councilwoman Cindy Cross, however, pointed out the city at times does pick and choose to support different local organizations. “We had no problem paying thousands of dollars for a study (for the YMCA),” she said.

City attorney Frank Garza suggested that the city should be careful not to forgo the fees for the center without clearly outlining what purposes are served that would otherwise fall to the city. Examples were cited of center's current roles providing services to the elderly of the community and serving as an emergency evacuation center.

Eventually, council members voted four to one for the measure to waive all construction and inspection fees for the center. Councilman Shane Reynolds dissented.

Council members also addressed several additional funding options for the Bulverde City Park project to close a budget gap of more than $100,000, as well as alternative changes to the bid.

Councilors chose to pass on the idea of building a large engineered slab for a basketball court originally intended to support a large gazebo. That proposed structure was ultimately cut from the original bid.

Kenny Whistler, chief architect on the project, explained there were other ways to engineer the slab to support the weight of a gazebo if one was to be added in the future.

The council did, however, vote to add the costs of additional park trails — $8,200 — two small pavilions — $70,000 — and lighting for trails and other areas — $38,200 — to the final bill.

An proposal to save $10,000 by not removing the current brick paver parking lot was rejected.

“I know many people volunteered time and energy to build that lot,” Whistler said, “but ... in a flood event, (that) is where all the water is flowing, and we already see areas decaying.”

Cross told the council that, while she still supports the park, she could not vote for the changes, adding she still believes the project to be too costly for the city.

Council voted four to one to make the park changes with Cross dissenting.

The cost of the total park project bid, awarded to Stoddard Construction Management Inc. at the March City Council meeting, is $1,488,085. The firm has 180 days to complete the project, and construction is expected to begin within the coming weeks.